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Udall meets with Onate athletes and coaches to discuss head injuries

By Steve Ramirez/sramirez@lcsun-news.com

Posted:
10/25/2012 08:00:08 PM MDT

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M, listens while Oñate High School volleyball player Alba Ontiveros, 16, right talks on Thursday in the school's library about a recent concussion that she experienced while participating in school athletics. In addition to the athletes, their parents and coach participated in the discussion of the importance of physical education and sports safety.

LAS CRUCES — It's been more than a year since Samantha "Sam" Ashida suffered a traumatic brain injury while playing in a high school girl's varsity basketball game.

The severity of her injuries weren't immediately known, but there were immediate signs something wasn't right.

"We took her to the Emergency Room right away when we realized she didn't recognize who we were, when she couldn't remember anything," said her mother, Dr. Debbie Ashida. "It was frightening, it was a parent's worst nightmare."

Sam Ashida, a 15-year-old sophomore at Oñate High School, still can't remember what happened. She only knows what she's been told.

"I fell flat on my face, and as it turned out, I broke some bones. That caused the injury," Ashida said. "I only have short-term memory. I still can't taste or smell. I don't have any feeling in the lower part of my jaw; and, I've lost the ability to show much emotion."

While the faint cheers of a junior varsity football game and a girl's volleyball game could be heard in other areas at Oñate High School, students, their parents and coaches gathered in the school's library Thursday to have a frank and serious discussion about concussions and traumatic brain injuries with Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M. But most of the talking was done by the students and their parents and coaches.

Udall helped organize the meeting on the heels of comments he made Wednesday commending the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies for creating a committee to study sports-related concussions in youth.

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"I appreciate the decision by the Institute of Medicine to move forward," Udall said. "The study from the National Academy of Science will bring a level of unbiased and authoritative advice to this issue and will help ensure student athletes in New Mexico and around the country are competing in the safest environments possible."

Udall is a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance. He has introduced federal legislation that would ensure the new and reconditioned football helmets for high school and younger players meet safety standards that address concussion risks, and the needs of young players.

Oñate football coach Caleb Hull and Knights volleyball coach Marian Bennett said more needs to be done to help coaches, athletic trainers, parents and teammates to be more aware of warning signs that an athlete has sustained a concussion.

"When I began coaching 37 years ago we didn't know these things," said Bennett, of the warning signs and seriousness of concussions among athletes. "I do agree it's all about the safety of students. It has to be first and foremost."

Hull added, "Can we start a red-flag program that would help us (coaches, trainers and school administrators) know that a student-athlete has had concussions before. We want to be as proactive as we can. We're doing more research, ...we want to see more proactive things to help us."

Tim Acklin, president of the New Mexico Athletic Trainers Association, said the Legislature adopted a bill in 2008 that pertains to the safety of athletes with head injuries.

"That legislation has become a national model," Acklin said. "There are at least 16 states that have gone on to pass similar legislation that's only going to help students. We'd like this legislation to become something that all states will eventually adopt."

Despite her injuries, which she might never completely recover from, the love of basketball is still strong for Sam Ashida. Like most 15-year-olds, Ashida has dreams — hers is to someday play in the Women's National Basketball Association.

Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452. Also follow him on Twitter: @SteveRamirez6.

— A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. Although there may be cuts or bruises on the head or face, there may be no visible signs of a brain injury.

— You don't have to pass out, or lose consciousness, to have a concussion. Some people will have obvious symptoms of a concussion, such as passing out or forgetting what happened right before the injury. But other people won't. With rest, most people fully recover from a concussion. Some people recover within a few hours. Other people take a few weeks to recover.

— In rare cases concussions cause more serious problems. Repeated concussions or a severe concussion may require surgery or lead to long-lasting problems with movement, learning or speaking. Because of the small chance of permanent brain problems, it is important to contact a doctor if you or someone you know has symptoms of a concussion.

— Some common ways to get a concussion include fights, falls, playground injuries, car crashes, and bike accidents. Concussions can also happen while participating in any sport or activity such as football, boxing, hockey, soccer, skiing, or snowboarding.

— Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. If you notice any symptoms of a concussion, contact your doctor.

— Some symptoms can include: Not thinking or remembering clearly; feeling slowed down; not being able to concentrate; not being able to remember new information; headache; fuzzy or blurred vision; nausea and vomiting; dizziness; sensitivity to light or noise; feeling tired or lack of energy.